For new arrivals in the St. Louis West suburbs: the local utilities and trash haulers to set up, how bulky pickup works in Ballwin and Wildwood, and how to get an empty house clean before the boxes come in.
The best time to clean a house is the day before you move into it. The rooms are empty, the cabinets are bare and every baseboard is in plain sight. Once the furniture and boxes arrive, that chance is gone for years.
This guide is for anyone buying or renting in Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood, Ellisville or Town and Country. It covers the utilities and trash services to line up, how to clear out what the last owner left behind, and what a Moving Clean will do for an empty home when TotalCare Cleaning comes to the area.
Hot water and power make every cleaning job easier, so put utility transfers at the top of the list. The City of Ballwin lists the providers for its homes: water from Missouri American Water, sewer from the Metropolitan Sewer District, natural gas from Spire and electric service from Ameren Missouri. Providers can differ by town and even by street, so check your own city's website for your address before you call.
Schedule the water and power to be on in your name at least a day before the clean. A Moving Clean needs running hot water for floors, tile and the inside of appliances, and working lights in every room so nothing gets missed.
Each city in the St. Louis West area handles trash a little differently, and a new resident needs to know which hauler serves the address before move-in week fills the bins.
Ballwin contracts with Republic Services. Recycling goes out weekly, and yard waste mixed in with the trash is not collected, which matters when you are clearing out an overgrown yard. Wildwood has two haulers by area: Republic Services for most subdivisions and Gateway Disposal for larger rural properties, typically 3 acres or more. Ellisville gives every single family home free weekly recycling, picked up on Wednesdays in Republic Services containers.
Houses change hands with surprises: an old mattress in the basement, a broken grill on the deck, paint cans in the garage. Cleaners will not move or take away furniture or large items, so book bulky pickup before the clean.
In Ballwin, Republic Services picks up bulky trash on the last pickup day of the month by appointment, with two items or 150 pounds at no extra charge. In Wildwood, Republic customers can schedule up to two bulk items a month and Gateway customers one, with extra fees for appliances. If your closing date falls right after a Ballwin bulky day, it may make sense to store a few items in the garage until the next one rather than pay for a private haul.
The Moving Clean is the same service for move-in as for move-out. It includes the full deep scope and then the parts of a kitchen and bathroom that matter most to a new owner.
The calendar affects a move more than most people expect. April, May and June are the wettest months at Lambert Airport, and a rainy moving day sends mud across freshly cleaned floors. Put a drop cloth or runner down from the door to the stairs before the movers start.
Winter moves bring salt and slush. St. Louis averages about 16.6 inches of snow a year, with January the snowiest month. If you close in winter, keep heavy mats at the entries and ask the movers to use floor protection. In the fall, look along window frames and light fixtures in an empty house: Asian lady beetles often gather indoors in large numbers late in the season, and a vacant home gives them plenty of quiet corners. Vacuum them rather than sweeping, as the Missouri Department of Conservation advises.
Get the keys, confirm the water and power, clear out leftover items through bulky pickup, then book the Moving Clean. Unpack the kitchen first, since it is the room you will use the most on the first night. Once the house is settled, a Recurring House Clean keeps it at that standard, and the seasonal calendar shows what each part of the St. Louis year will bring.
The questions Chesterfield homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Chesterfield and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
